I don't believe anyone ever stated or even implied they (movies) need to go "boom" to have perfect scores. Don't remember any "booms" in life of pi and it is one of my recent favorites.

Placing an opinion within these threads has- all too often- become pointless, unfortunately. Perhaps we should all feel identically about everything and then forget the reviews and commentary altogether. Jesus, think about it.

James

To some here I imagine it is "boom" that is lacking but to many it's simply the lack of overwhelming LFE content a movie soundtrack has that prevents them from giving a higher rating. Personally, I rate a movie soundtrack by what's on the soundtrack and not by what isn't on it.

I'm not about to back up my agreement with Ralph about the audio in this movie with any technical jargon because I'm not qualified but I will say that this movie has the cleanest, sharpest audio I've ever heard in a movie at my home.

Another great review! I’m a little surprised by the exceptionally high marks, but I was impressed with the image quality of the ARRI Alexa’s as well. I’ve been doting on all of the movies shot on ‘film’ recently that I’ve been catching on Blu-ray and knew this was shot digitally from my HDVideoPro subscription – so, I was curious how it would compare.

Digital does have its own quality of clarity. The colors, to me, still didn’t have that certain richness to them of film, but they were by no means anything less than superb! Skin tones, etc. Digital seems to do very well with capturing skin tones I’ve been noticing (on my set that is NOT professionally calibrated either for that matter – they just look good for my ballpark settings)

I guess Skyfall had so many dramatically colorful scenes that it left me wondering – wow, what if that had been shot on film; how much better it might have looked. I think the relatively lower expectations of this movie lent to it being more impressive for a digitally shot movie for me. I believe the impression I get is that the ARRI Alexa’s have the edge in lower light vs. the higher resolution edge of the RED cameras. They certainly seemed to capture it well.

I rented this as a follow-up to Red Dawn from the evening before in keeping with a theme of sorts that I was in a mood for. I saw it in the theater and it had an unexpected appeal in the portrayal of the resolve of Jessica Chastain’s character to see triumph in her quest to bring justice.

Jessica Chastain was super impressive too btw. This was the first that I had really taken notice of her and it was quite an introduction. Too bad the politics of the torture scenes diminished the chances of her winning the Oscar (I’m sorta pissed at Jennifer Lawrence and refuse to watch Silver Linings Playbook despite it likely being a story that I would really like).

Anyway, impressive transfer to Blu-ray for certain! Sound was better than expected for me as well.

Another great review! I’m a little surprised by the exceptionally high marks, but I was impressed with the image quality of the ARRI Alexa’s as well. I’ve been doting on all of the movies shot on ‘film’ recently that I’ve been catching on Blu-ray and knew this was shot digitally from my HDVideoPro subscription – so, I was curious how it would compare.

Digital does have its own quality of clarity. The colors, to me, still didn’t have that certain richness to them of film, but they were by no means anything less than superb! Skin tones, etc. Digital seems to do very well with capturing skin tones I’ve been noticing (on my set that is NOT professionally calibrated either for that matter – they just look good for my ballpark settings)

I guess Skyfall had so many dramatically colorful scenes that it left me wondering – wow, what if that had been shot on film; how much better it might have looked. I think the relatively lower expectations of this movie lent to it being more impressive for a digitally shot movie for me. I believe the impression I get is that the ARRI Alexa’s have the edge in lower light vs. the higher resolution edge of the RED cameras. They certainly seemed to capture it well.

I rented this as a follow-up to Red Dawn from the evening before in keeping with a theme of sorts that I was in a mood for. I saw it in the theater and it had an unexpected appeal in the portrayal of the resolve of Jessica Chastain’s character to see triumph in her quest to bring justice.

Jessica Chastain was super impressive too btw. This was the first that I had really taken notice of her and it was quite an introduction. Too bad the politics of the torture scenes diminished the chances of her winning the Oscar (I’m sorta pissed at Jennifer Lawrence and refuse to watch Silver Linings Playbook despite it likely being a story that I would really like).

Anyway, impressive transfer to Blu-ray for certain! Sound was better than expected for me as well.

Jessica Chastain was super impressive too btw. This was the first that I had really taken notice of her and it was quite an introduction. Too bad the politics of the torture scenes diminished the chances of her winning the Oscar (I’m sorta pissed at Jennifer Lawrence and refuse to watch Silver Linings Playbook despite it likely being a story that I would really like).

Anyway, impressive transfer to Blu-ray for certain! Sound was better than expected for me as well.

Jessica Chastain's performance was out of this world. She it a terrific actress. By the time Oscars Night rolled around, I understood that because of the (unjustified) controversy surrounding Zero Dark Thirty, Chastain had as little chance of winning the Best Actress Oscar as the film did of winning Best Picture, that is to say none at all.

Let me say a word about Silver Linings Playbook and Jennifer Lawrence's Oscar winning performance in it. After the Oscar nominations were announced, I read a lot of reviews of the nominated films and saw that most of the critics loved Silver Linings Playbook. I then saw it in the theater and was blown away. It is a wonderful film, nearly a great one. It may be the oddest romantic comedy ever made, where crazy man meets crazy girl and after a while they fall in love. Lawrence was luminous and since our girl Jessica Chastain couldn't win, I was delighted that Lawrence did. See it, you won't be sorry, and check out the Sliver Linings Playbook thread in the Movies, Concerts, and Music Discussion Forum.

What inside information/evidence do people have that I (and others) do not that points to this (and other) controversial film(s) automatically being disqualified from winning Oscars?

Need I compose a list of controversial films/actors/directors that took home an Oscar...or even armloads of them? How bout starting with ARGO...google "argo controversy" and tell me what you come up with.

Could it be that they simply preferred/found more deserving other films, actors, directors, etc...or is that too easy?

Oscar conspiracy theories used to be entertaining...like 40 years ago. They have long since become so staid, formulaic, and predictable that it's unnerving- to me at least- to know we're going to deal with them every single February. But I supposed that's half the appeal to some.

Sigh.

James

Actual phone call (see pic to left):

Tech (responding to laughter): "I'm sorry sir, did I miss something?"

Me: "Yeah, a case of Diet Mountain Dew walking across my living room."

anyone of you guys can tell if there is any part of the movie where i can test the sounds of my HT system? thanks.

There is a lot of great LFE in Zero Dark Theater but I would recommend you rewatch the scene where the helos take off on the way to the raid. When I saw that scene in in the theater the theater shook and when I watched it again on BD my home theater shook.

I guess some here judge a soundtrack's quality by the amount of prodigious LFE.
Personally, I judge a soundtrack by how it takes me into the environment I'm seeing on the screen.
I'm just as impressed by a scene in Gladiator where the actors are in a dungeon and it sounds like a dungeon
Or One Hour Photo where it sounds like a big box store as I am by the beach landing scene in SPR.

It ain't ignorance causes so much trouble; it's folks knowing so much that ain't so

I guess some here judge a soundtrack's quality by the amount of prodigious LFE.
Personally, I judge a soundtrack by how it takes me into the environment I'm seeing on the screen.
I'm just as impressed by a scene in Gladiator where the actors are in a dungeon and it sounds like a dungeon
Or One Hour Photo where it sounds like a big box store as I am by the beach landing scene in SPR.

I agree. I love great LFE but effective surround effects are equally important, although a lot less visceral than LFE.

I usually agree with the review and associate ratings for video and sound...I do not in this case. Video perhaps (I would have liked a 2:4 AR). Audio, no way it deserves a 5. I would have scored it as a 4. Nothing compelling/memorable about it. It was just adequate in my opinion.

What inside information/evidence do people have that I (and others) do not that points to this (and other) controversial film(s) automatically being disqualified from winning Oscars?

Need I compose a list of controversial films/actors/directors that took home an Oscar...or even armloads of them? How bout starting with ARGO...google "argo controversy" and tell me what you come up with.

Could it be that they simply preferred/found more deserving other films, actors, directors, etc...or is that too easy?

Oscar conspiracy theories used to be entertaining...like 40 years ago. They have long since become so staid, formulaic, and predictable that it's unnerving- to me at least- to know we're going to deal with them every single February. But I supposed that's half the appeal to some.

Sigh.

James

Because Kathryn Bigelow made a film that Hollywood would rather not believe happened, the torture for one. And Argo, while based on fact was "hollywooded up". Not to mention that Ben Affleck and George Clooney are Hollywood cronies...On another note, the scene in the Marriott Hotel will stir the dust bunnies...

I really enjoyed this movie. Watched it this morning. As others have said, Jessica Chastain was quite impressive. The helicopter scenes, the compound door breaches as well as the entire raid itself had my house shaking.

I thought he died in 2001,
Around the same time I stopped believing in main stream bs media.

Yes, I would totally believe the "Pakistan Observer" story cited by Fox News from 2001. My subscription to the Pakistan Observer is the best investment I ever made. Clearly the operation that this film is based on was just a vast conspiracy involving the White House, the military and the mainstream media. Not to mention families of the SEAL team members, the CIA analysts, authors like Peter Bergen, as well as the film makers and all the actors. Oh, the Pakistan Military too, and all the people in Abbotabaud are in on it -- as they had to act amazed when the compound was discovered in their midsts. The helicopters and explosions in their city the night of the raid were merely drones. By the way, the courier mentioned in the fairy tale that ZDT is based on, was actually Sarah Palin.

Yes, I would totally believe the "Pakistan Observer" story cited by Fox News from 2001. My subscription to the Pakistan Observer is the best investment I ever made. Clearly the operation that this film is based on was just a vast conspiracy involving the White House, the military and the mainstream media. Not to mention families of the SEAL team members, the CIA analysts, authors like Peter Bergen, as well as the film makers and all the actors. Oh, the Pakistan Military too, and all the people in Abbotabaud are in on it -- as they had to act amazed when the compound was discovered in their midsts. The helicopters and explosions in their city the night of the raid were merely drones. By the way, the courier mentioned in the fairy tale that ZDT is based on, was actually Sarah Palin.

Absolutely right! Hell, folks who believe that SEAL Team 6 really killed bin Laden probably believe that the United States really put men on the moon.

Yes, I would totally believe the "Pakistan Observer" story cited by Fox News from 2001. My subscription to the Pakistan Observer is the best investment I ever made. Clearly the operation that this film is based on was just a vast conspiracy involving the White House, the military and the mainstream media. Not to mention families of the SEAL team members, the CIA analysts, authors like Peter Bergen, as well as the film makers and all the actors. Oh, the Pakistan Military too, and all the people in Abbotabaud are in on it -- as they had to act amazed when the compound was discovered in their midsts. The helicopters and explosions in their city the night of the raid were merely drones. By the way, the courier mentioned in the fairy tale that ZDT is based on, was actually Sarah Palin.

You my friend have the potential to be an investigative reporter for Fox News ...

I'm extremely surprised by the positive remarks for this film. One of the very few I have started to fall asleep during viewing in recent memory. The first 40 minutes seemed to be nothing but media propaganda mixed with shaky camera effect and lots of rambling. Maybe 30 minutes of the 180 was worth viewing and even then you have the SEAL team actors flagging each other with their carbines and moving like children playing hide and seek as if there was no military advisor in the budget. Bigelow's Hurt Locker was much better in my opinion, and the audio and video just as good or better.

I would definitely say rent before you purchase and pay no mind to people waving a book's testimony around as proof of what takes place.

I just ordered it. Part of the reason is that my wife might like it, seeing as how she's gotten into Homeland on SHO. Until now, I've not seen any movies with 9/11 as part of the subject matter out of choice.

This movie was amazing. Extras are a bit on the skimpy side as most of the disc space is devoted to the movie. Seeing this is much better than in the theater. I remember seeing the first few minutes of the movie enjoying the 5.1 remix of the sounds of 9/11. This movie brought Jessica Chastain to mainstream attention.